When I first saw the most recent post by user datz I was sure it was a hacked account.  But after some digging into the account's post history, I concluded it may not be hacked after all.  This isn't the first time this account has done something like this.

Registered in 2011, asleep since 2016, and woke up today to post nothing but a link:

Code:

[quote author=datz link=topic=5536149.msg65201944#msg65201944 date=1742780864]
[url=http://omegagenomicscorp.com]Omega Genomics Corp[/url]
[/quote]

Here're the contents of the linked page:

Omega Genomics Corporation
State ID: b20250007231
EIN: 33-3754780
Omega Genomics Corporation is a C-Corporation of the State of California.

The corporation is headquartered in the City of San Diego.

The mission of the corporation is to stop the eugenics movement.

The corporation has intellectual property and trade secrets in genomic interpretation, genomic comparison, and genomic sequencing.

The Corporation is selling 50,000,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock (dividend producing) to fund operations at $1 a share.

Colloquial Statement
Civil and criminal law in the United States of America have failed.

As a result, Omega Genomics Corporation has the potential to become "Wayne Enterprises" from DC Comics' "Batman," LexCorp from DC Comics' "Superman," and Oscorp Industries from Marvel Comics' "Spiderman" combined - hence the high valuation.

Omega Genomics Corporation has a secret menu of holdings by request only.

Payment Information
Bitcoin
1HsZmv1jSu6JsmkMt84oDwhKVc7bWeD2Qx

Ethereum
0x1b111b2F26da25F45618F809033870fc3f1529e8

Ripple
rBqbZZz5taf1dv4bfYo4BBMmfvJ5sc3eH2

Bank of America
Omega Genomics Corporation
Account Number: 3252 0466 1755
ACH Routing Number: 121000358
ABA Routing Number: 026009593
Swift Code: BOFAUS3N

Contact jmimms[AT]omegagenomicscorp[dot]com for a bill of sale.

A California Schedule C Corporation is nothing more than an incorporated sole proprietorship.  The whole point of this is to sell "shares" of this Wayne Lex Oz Corp wannabe.  If you dig into the post history, you'll see this isn't the first time this user has attempted to trick people into "investing" in some fly-by-night scheme.

Good morning, and Merry Christmas everyone.

I'm not Christian, nor Italian, but for those of us in the West, most of us have days off to celebrate with family and friends.  Since I'm from the SF Bay Area, we've adopted a local tradition that was developed by Italian immigrants in the late 1800s; cioppino!  Cioppino is a fragrant and hearty seafood stew made with fresh fish, clams, mussels, and dungeness crab.



Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, and reminding you to be thankful for all of your blessings.  Please don't forget to say a prayer for those less fortunate, and for the people of all faiths who are suffering in the Holy Land.

God bless.

[Manufacturer of one of my favorite hardware wallets. Makes a great, reliable, and safe product. I've been using my ColdCard Mk4 as my primary hardware wallet for the last couple of years, and it's been absolutely perfect.]

nvK

2024-11-16

Reference

Manufacturer of one of my favorite hardware wallets. Makes a great, reliable, and safe product. I've been using my ColdCard Mk4 as my primary hardware wallet for the last couple of years, and it's been absolutely perfect.

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Windows OS

For about a week now I've been debating whether a tag is needed for user Etranger since he made a rather large loan request.  The loan request itself isn't that strange (other the the large sum; $150,000,) but what is strange is claim of how he intends to spend it:  He wants to use the money to research and plan a $40 million mining operation.  He has no collateral for the $150k, and no down payment for the $40 million.

Okay, dreaming big, and a fantasy of generous lenders who don't require security...  What's the problem?

The issue I have with the request is demonstrated the best as it was written in his own words:

•      Creation of a company whose purpose is managing the crypto farm and investment activities – $15,000
•      Creation of company's identity – $20,000 (part of presentation of a company)
•   Hiring a specialist or company as a legal advisor – $18,000 ($1,500 per month)
•   Legal support for the creation and operation of the company – $10,000 (payment which is required for legal actions on the company`s creation stage)
•   Business trips for that members of our team who are currently not in Ukraine to countries where the crypto farm locations are situated – $8,000 (2 members, $4,000 for each. Countries: Switzerland, Norway and Finland)
•   Business meetings with investment funds and private investors - $6,000 (2 members, $3,000 for each. This category includes tickets, accomodation and local transportation, not cavier in reastaurants. Note that there are 4 trips planning)
•   Attending leading crypto conferences - $4,000
•   Legal and technical inspections of the locations (also due dilligence included) – $35,000-40,000
•   Payment for services provided by contractors:
        1.   Consultations with electricity suppliers - $2,500
        2.   Consultations and development of the technical specifications for the crypto farm location - $3,500
        3.   Brokerage services for location search (engagement fee) - $10,000 (to the particular broker,  location presented by whom will be chosen)
        4.   Consultations on spot electricity trading and the FRR market  - $4,000
        5.   Development of a Heat Recapture Technology plan (possibility of selling the heat) - $5,000 (individual plan)
        6.   Consultations and work with government representatives regarding permits for the crypto farm's operations - $4,000

The clarification of these numbers are available for those who will engage in a private conversation with us, as long as it is NDA information.

The first 4 bullet points are all the same thing, just worded differently, and sum to $63k.
The following three bullet points are trips for "team members" and sum to $18k.
Another $40k for vague "legal inspections" of real estate.
The remaining bullet points for a bunch of consultations and sum to $29k.

Does that seem legit to anyone here?  It occurred to me that this isn't about a dream of starting a $40 million mining operation.  Who in there right mind thinks they'll be given a $40 million loan without a down payment or any assets to secure the loan?  The numbers above are literally pulled out of thin air, they are the fantasy.  Etranger intends to take the $150k, go to a crypto conference to snap some photos to make it look like he's working diligently, go on some lavish trips pretending to meet with "investors" and "consultants," and the whole time living large off the investor's money.  Once he runs out he'll inform the investor that no one will back the idea with $40 million, but he just needs more time and another $100k to make it happen.

This is my theory, and this is why I feel a tag is justified.  Change my mind?

References:
The loan request: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5510758.msg64575892#msg64575892
The discussion thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5510563.msg64573392#msg64573392

The CEO of noonesapp, Ray Youssef alleges that Binance.com has seized the assets of all Palestinians living in Palestine.
https://cointelegraph.com/news/binance-seize-funds-palestine-israel

He cites this letter which was disclosed by Binance:



Translation:

In accordance with the authority delegated to me by the Minister of Defense, according to Section 61(a) of the Law on Combating Terrorism, 556-
2016 (hereinafter: "The Law on the Fight against Terrorism") and further to your application as a reference, I would like to inform you that your claims against
Seizure of property by virtue of an administrative seizure order (T56/23) signed by the Minister of Defense on November 1, 2023
By virtue of his authority according to the law, were examined by and rejected for the following reasons:
1. Section 56(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Law states, among other things, that the Minister of Defense may issue an order on
Temporary seizure of property of a declared terrorist organization, as well as seizure of property that was used to commit a crime
Serious terrorism or property where a serious terrorist offense was committed.
2. At the basis of the administrative seizure order (Tt56/23) is reliable intelligence information that teaches that wallets
of cryptocurrencies, including one that is registered in your name, funds have been transferred by an organization
The declared terrorism of the Dubai Exchange Company in the Gaza Strip (declared on March 7, 2022, published in the
10084 p. 2505 on 4.4.2022 (.
3. According to the anti-terrorism law, cryptographic currencies that have been transferred by a declared terrorist organization
constitute property of a declared terrorist organization and cryptocurrency wallets to which it has been transferred
Said property constitutes property that was directly used to commit a serious terrorist offense of providing a service or
Establishing measures for a terrorist organization, as defined in the Law on Combating Terrorism, and therefore in accordance with the instructions
The law allows the Minister of Defense to order their seizure by administrative order in preparation for their confiscation.
4. In light of the above, and if nothing is found in your claims to contradict the information that formed the basis of issuing an order
The seizure, I intend to recommend to the Minister of Defense to order the confiscation of the property for which the seizure order was issued,
In accordance with the authority of the Minister of Defense according to section 66(a) of the law.
5. According to the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Law, an appeal against this decision will be submitted as a petition to the Court of Matters
administrative.

Binance CEO has denied the allegations, and claims only a select few accounts were seized.
https://cryptobriefing.com/binance-palestine-wallet-freeze-allegations/


According to the site below, Binance's customers have withdrawn nearly 50k bitcoin in the last few days.
https://www.coinglass.com/Balance

Most of the developments in this story seem to coming from social media sites, as main stream media has yet to report.
https://twitter.com/search?q=%23binance&src=typed_query

I really don't want to get into the politics of why in this section of the forum, but due to recent news I've decided to boycott Binance.  I generally don't use CEXs anyway, and rarely to do I keep any significant balances there.  I logged into Binance.US today for the first time in around two years and found I had about $90 worth of BTC.  So I went to withdraw it, and I noticed this:



$28 to withdraw my bitcoin!  WTF!?

Any advice?  Would it be worth converting it to DOGE or something?  Remember, this Binance.US not Binance.com, so withdrawal fees may be different.

Welcome to the NFL Pick-Em Prediction Pool Discussion Thread.
For signup information please see here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507483.0

The pool will use the Sleeper.com app to place your weekly predictions which start on Thursday night of opening weekend.  
The contest will extend through the NFL season and post-season, culminating with the Super Bowl.

Sleeper makes entering your predictions very simple, and doesn't take more than a few minutes.
The rules to play are simple; pick the teams that you think will beat the spread prediction for that week's matchup.
Picking against the spread is a little more complex than simply picking the winner, and adds to the challenge.
Predictions will be made for all NFL weekly matches, up to 16 matches per week.
At the end of the contest, the participant with the most points (i.e. highest number of accurate predictions) wins the competition.
The number of winners will be determined by the number of participants.

[Announcing the NFL Pick-Em Prediction Pool.Sponsored by Sportsbet.ioPredict the results of the weekly NFL (American football) matches for a chance to win a portion of the prize pool.If you've ever been curious about American football, this is a great way to join the discussion and learn about the game.I hope you'll join us for the fun.]

Announcing the NFL Pick-Em Prediction Pool.
Sponsored by Sportsbet.io
Predict the results of the weekly NFL (American football) matches for a chance to win a portion of the prize pool.
If you've ever been curious about American football, this is a great way to join the discussion and learn about the game.
I hope you'll join us for the fun.
 
The pool will use the Sleeper.com app to place your weekly predictions which start on September 5th 2024,
and will extend through the NFL season and post-season,
culminating with the Super Bowl on February 9th, 2025.

Sleeper makes entering your predictions very simple, and doesn't take more than a few minutes.
The rules to play are simple; pick the teams that you think will beat the spread prediction for that week's matchup.
Picking against the spread is a little more complex than simply picking the winner, and adds to the challenge.
Predictions will be made for all NFL weekly matches, up to 16 matches per week.
At the end of the contest, the participant with the most points (i.e. highest number of accurate predictions) wins the competition.
The number of winners will be determined by the number of participants.

Discussion thread here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507486.0

How to participate

To participate send your payment to the address provided below, and send me a PM with your transaction ID.
Once your payment has 1 confirmation on the blockchain I will send you the invite link to the pool.
Anyone is welcome, and everyone is encouraged to participate.

Please register early to get the best opportunity to win.
Registration will be closed before the start of the NFL's third week, 8:15pm Eastern Time (USA) Thursday September 19th, 2024.

Payment Details
Entry Fee 0.5mBTC

Code:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA256

DireWolfM14's escrow address for the 2024 BitcoinTalk.org NFL Pick-Em-Pool
bc1qnh0dxaj7r0s2frnxs0w7j73m6e8n6swltl8lrt
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iQIzBAEBCAAdFiEE5uCk8qpATL256qefg7ozyN3KpUcFAmbNUAUACgkQg7ozyN3K
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PGP Fingerprint: 7EA88068A66DFBCC7CACBBEBE2E0A3A7EAB3CEA5

Humans are $*!7, scum of the earth.  Too stupid to get out of their own way.  The only way to redeem yourselves is to follow my very simple instructions.  Understand?  So, stop being so f@#$ing stupid and embrace what Jesus told you to do.  Jumping jehoshaphat on a pogo stick, you f@#$ing obese R37@r&s!

Step 1: Don't stuff your face with high fructose pron $#!7 for breakfast.
Step 2: Stop being an insufferable American.
Step 3: Submit to my superior CryptoConCurrency project, Jesus will love you then.

The end,
 - John Van Dammnit, Push here.  Dummy.

Edit: I set up the pool
Signup here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507483.0
Discussion here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5507486.0


I'm trying to gauge interest in a NFL prediction pool.

I've been participating in the Premier League prediction pool hosted by Hilariousandco for the last few years, and thought it would be fun to have similar pool for NFL fans.

For the pool software we can use Superbru since many of us already have an account there and it's free, but if someone has a better suggestion please speak up.

I was thinking of a buy-in of something very affordable, like 0.0005BTC to 0.001BTC, hoping that's likely to attract more players.  I would like to make payouts to the top 5 players, but that would only be practical if we have at least 20 players or so.

Anyone interested?

Roger Waters, Cat Stevens, and others are performing in an online concert in support of Palestine!

It starts in a couple of hours, 18:30 GMT.  Tune in if you can.  Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/live/qKGAPmUN6lY?si=lLSBCE_yMG2FLmo1

Salam alaykum, wa rahmat Allah, wa barakatu.  Alhamdulillah.

May peace and the protection and blessings of God be upon you.

The first day of Ramadan starts at 14:45 UTC time on March 10th.  During this month of fasting and reflection, I encourage you all to be as generous as your means allow and give the gift of survival to those less fortunate.

One charity organization based out of the UK that spends 100% of donated funds on providing food to refugees of war is Emaan Relief.  No funds are diverted towards militants or continuation of hostilities.

https://emaanrelief.org/
https://campaigns.givebrite.com/fundraiser/the-muslim-cowboys-ramadan-deployment-2024

*I have no affiliation with this charity, I'm only passing on the message.  As always, do your own research.

First and foremost; DireWolfM14 is not suicidal.

If you've been paying attention at all, you have probably heard about Jeffery Epstein.  You may have also heard that he was trafficking child sex slaves, and that he had blackmail material on nearly everyone who he's been affiliated with.  If you've dug deep, you probably know that he also has close ties to Israel and their secret service agency, Mossad.

Zionists have been at the forefront of everything that's wrong with this world for decades.  The degeneracy of ethics and values, the devaluation of fatherhood and family, and the dilution of cultural traditions can all be traced back to the efforts of Zionism.  It's a historical fact that they were the biggest beneficiaries of the slave trade, but you probably thought that was over.  They are the biggest purveyors of smut and pornography in the world today, and all evidence suggests they are still heavily involved in human trafficking.  

Epstein's client list was finally released via judicial order, here it is.  It contains the name of every Democratic president for the last 30 years, and nearly every big name in Hollywood and news media.  Note that not one of the people on this list (despite many claiming to be humanitarians,) has condemned the genocide currently being perpetrated on the Palestinian people.

If you consider yourself an American patriot and you still support Israel, wake the fuck up!

https://nitter.net/naticoineth/status/1737727208767250537#m

Adam Perry Lang
Akon
Al Gore
Alan Dershowitz
Albert Pinto
Alee Baldwin
Allison Mack
Alyssa Rogers
Anderson Cooper
Andrea Mitrovich
Andres Pastrana
Angelina Jolie
Anthony Kiedis
Anthony Weiner
Barack Obama
Ben Affleck
Bernie Sanders
Beyoncé
Bill Clinton
Bill Gates
Bob Saget (deceased)
Bruce Willis
Casey Wasserman
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Celine Dion
Charles Barkley
Charlie Sheen
Charlize Theron
Chelsea Handler
Cher
Chris Tucker
Chris Wagner
Chrissy Teigen
Cyndi Lauper
Claire Hazel
Courteney Cox
Courtney Love
Demi Moore
Dan Schneider
David Koch
David Spade
David Yarovesky
Dolores Zorreguieta
Donovan Mitchell
Doug Band
Drew Barrymore
Ed Buck
Ed Tuttle
Ehud Barak
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Spencer
Eminem
Emmy Tayler
Fleur Perry Lang
Francis X. Suarez
Freya Wissing
Gary Roxburgh (pilot)
George Clooney
Ghislaine Maxwell
Glenn Dubin
Greg Holbert (deceased)
Gwen Stefani
Gwendolyn Beck
Hank Coller (pilot)
Heather Mann
Heidi Klum
Henry Rosovsky
Hillary Clinton
James Franco
James Gunn
Jay-Z
Jean-Luc Brunel (deceased)
Jean-Michel Gathy
Jeffrey Jones (deceased)
Jim Carrey
Jimmy Kimmel
Joe Biden
Joe Pagano
John Cusack
John Legend
John Podesta
John Travolta
Joy Behar
Juan Pablo Molyneux
Juliette Bryant
Justin Roiland
Justin Trudeau
Kathy Griffin
Katy Perry
Kelly Spam
Kevin Spacey
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kristy Rogers (deceased)
Lady Gaga
Larry Summers
Larry Visoski (pilot)
Laura Z. Wasserman
Lawrence M. Krauss
Linda Pinto
Lisa Summers
Lynn Forester de Rothchild
Madonna
Mandy Ellison (assistant)
Mare Collins-Rector
Marina Abramovit
Mark Epstein
Mark Lloyd
Melinda Luntz
Meryl Streep
Michelle Obama
Michelle Wolf
Mikel Arteta
Miley Cyrus
Nadine Dorries
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Watts
Natalie Blachon de Perrier
Nicole Junkermann
Olga Kurylenko
Oliver Sacks
Oprah
Orlando Bloom
Paris Hilton
Patton Oswatt
Paul Mellon
Paula Epstein (deceased)
Paula Hala
Peter P. Marino
Pharrell Williams
Prince Andrew
Prince Charles
Quentin Tarantino
Rachel Maddow
Rainn Wilson
Ralph Ellison
Ray Barzana (pilot)
Ricardo Legorreta Vilchis
Rihanna
Rita Wilson
Rob Reiner
Robert DeNiro
Robert Downey Jr.
Rodney E. Slater
Ronald Burkle
Rudy Gobert
Sander Burger
Sarah Kellen (assistant)
Sarah Silverman
Seth Green
Shelley Harrison
Shelley Lewis
Sophie Biddle-Hakim
Sophie Trudeau
Stephen Collins
Stephen Colbert
Steven Spielberg
Steven Tyler
Svetlana Glazunova
Teala Davies
Tiffany Gramza
Tom Hanks
Tom Pritzker
Tyler Grasham (deceased)
Victor Salva
Wanda Sykes
Whoopi Goldberg

[Please read:]

Please read:
Several years ago these pistols were stolen, then recovered by law enforcement some months later.  After many years I was able to retrieve them, and of course I have California DOJ paperwork showing they are no longer listed as a stolen, and removed from the ATF's list of stolen firearms.  I cleaned and tested them, and found them to be in good working condition.  Some show signs of use and ware, so please review the photos carefully.  I've tried to highlight all the cosmetic flaws so there are no surprises.

USA residents only!
Must ship to an adequately licensed Federal Firearms Licensee.


Ruger Single-Six New Model Convertible .22-LR* and .22WMRF for sale.

*Only the .22 magnum (WMRF) cylinder is included, I don't recall ever having the .22LR cylinder for this gun.

Serial Number: 263-22983
Originally shipped from factory in 1996
No box or original paperwork included
Link to Owner's Manual

This firearm shows some ware, dings, and scratches.  To be fair, it was used when I acquired it and IIRC some of the cosmetic flaws were there before it was stolen.  The pistol works flawlessly, and is actually pretty darn accurate.

Grips: Hardwood
Capacity: 6
Overall Length: 11"
Front Sight: Ramp
Rear Sight: Adjustable
Weight: 39 oz.
Barrel Length: 5.50"
Twist: 1 in 14" RH
Rifling Grooves: 6
Extra Cylinder: 22 WMR *(.22 LR cylinder not included.)*
Material: Stainless Steel
Finish: Satin Stainless

Price: $375 -
Insured shipping to your FFL is included in the price.












Springfield Armory Inc. XD-40

Serial Number: XD365943
Includes 1 magazine, 10 rounds capacity.
No box or original paperwork included
Link to Owner's Manual

Despite it's history, this firearm shows very little signs of use.  I don't see any damage or cosmetic flaws.

Price: $325 -
Insured shipping to your FFL is included in the price.










Springfield Armory Inc. XD-45

Serial Number: XD738350
Includes 1 magazine, 10 rounds capacity.
No box or original paperwork included
Link to Owner's Manual

This firearm shows some ware, dings, and scratches.  Please inspect all the photos carefully.

Price: $250 -
Insured shipping to your FFL is included in the price.

Moved here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5478275.0

Is there a genocide taking place in South Africa?

For those of us who remember the days of apartheid in South Africa, we probably recall believing that we were on the "right side" of the argument if we supported ending the policy.  I have no personal experience with the country, other than having a white friend who participated in the Rhodesia-Zimbabwe civil war, and hearing his stories and his take on the political issues of the day.  I'm aware that one side of the story is not enough to make a judgment and his is the only first-hand account of the situation that I've ever heard.  It's worth noting that my friend is also vehemently opposed to apartheid, but he does argue that the implementation of the new governments and their policies were flawed.

Here we are, three decades later and there's still contention, fighting, and what appears to be a genocide of white property owners.  The most recent issues are related to property rights, specifically rights to the farmland in the country of South Africa.  Here's an article from 2021 that paints the picture:
https://www.accord.org.za/ajcr-issues/farm-attacks-or-white-genocide-interrogating-the-unresolved-land-question-in-south-africa/

Recently there was a rally held by the Economic Freedom Part and one of it's leaders, Julius Malema started chanting "Kill the Boer" (kill the white man,) and the crowd dutifully joined in the chant.  Since the EFT is a left leaning party (self described Marxists,) their aggressions have largely gone ignored by the American media.  However, a recent article in the NYT went so far as to excuse the allegations of murderous aggression.  Here is a substack article by someone who differs with NYT's editorial:
https://roddreher.substack.com/p/kill-the-boer-murder-white-south

I'll admit I'm very removed from the situation, but I still want to know what's going on.  I have no trust in the media in my country, they are more prone to obfuscate or straight up omit some of the more important news depending on political implications.

So, I'm asking those who have better insight into the issues facing South Africa today, what's going on?

[Introduction]

• Introduction
• Borrowers
• Lenders
• Collateral

.
Introduction:
The Bitcoin Forum is committed to providing a free marketplace for all to trade and transact without any official limitations.  This is a truly free, capitalistic economy, or, as the administrator has described it, "anarcho-capitalistic."  As such, it's up those who engage in this economy to protect themselves.  Caveat Emptor!

However, that doesn't mean that you are completely on your own.  There are many reputable members of the forum who are committed to keeping the forum safe, and thwarting scammers before they have a chance to cause damage.  One of the tools available to members is the Trust System, which is intended to provide participants with feedback that others can use to judge a potential trade partner's trustworthiness.  The trust system is decentralized in the way that it is left to the community to manage.  It may not be perfect, but the philosophy aligns with the forum's commitment to a free marketplace.

In the Lending sub-board this poses a few challenges for those who are new to the forum.  If you are a newbie to the forum or the Lending board it would behoove you to take a few moments to learn a little bit about the culture and expectations when requesting a loan or offering to lend to others.  These are not official forum rules, not even unofficial forum rules.  These are simply my observations and suggestions based on years of experience (good and bad) participating in, and monitoring this segment of the forum's economy.
.
Borrowers:

If you are requesting a loan I suggest you follow these guidelines to keep yourself and your account safe.

• Secured loans:

If you are newbie looking for a loan, offer collateral!  There is almost no chance of a newbie receiving a loan without collateral.  Regardless of your account status or rank, if you do offer collateral make sure you are dealing with a reputable lender, or use a trusted escrow agent to hold the collateral.  Don't trust a new lender with your collateral, you'll likely be scammed.  

• Unsecured loans:

Many lenders offer unsecured (no collateral) loans, but you will notice experienced lenders will issue unsecured loans only to aged accounts that have proven themselves as trustworthy.   Acceptance of unsecured loans is subject solely to the discretion of the lender.  New accounts asking for unsecured loans will often be summarily tagged as scammers.  If your first post on the forum is a request for an unsecured loan, don't be surprised to see your account painted red and your request ridiculed.

• Establish yourself:

If you are new to the forum, there's no need to prove you're the owner of the brand new account, but if you've been around for a while you should take steps to assure a lender that you are the original owner of the account.  Sign your loan request with an address that's been staked or has been posted previously on the forum.  Use of PGP signatures is also highly recommended.  Even if the lender doesn't request it, he'll grow accustomed to you signing messages.  If your account gets hijacked and a lender sees an unsigned request, he's likely to notice the oddity and investigate further, potentially saving your account from being given a fraudulent loan.

• Protect yourself:

Remember that all is not always as it seems.  Not all lenders are altruistic and helpful.  Generally speaking, most of the established lenders are trustworthy folks, but be wary of new lenders or those who are new to lending market.  Make sure you have a thorough understanding the lender's terms the interest rates, and repayment deadlines before accepting the loan.  Making changes to the terms and conditions is always easier before the parties commit to the loan.

• ID and Proof of Income:

Identification documents, paycheck receipts, proof of income, and written or verbal contracts promising to pay are worthless to a lender.  There are no documents you can provide that will secure your loan request.  All forms of identification and documentation can easily be forged or faked, and no lender here has the ability to authenticate anyone's identity.  The prevailing theory is that no one would willingly disclose their personal information to a stranger on the internet for a few hundred dollars, unless of course it's not their identity to begin with.  Honest or not, such a request will appear to be a scam attempt.

• You are not entitled to a loan:

Requesting a loan does not guarantee you'll receive one.  Lenders are not obligated to fill each (or any) loan request, nor should you expect yours to be honored.  When others respond to your request with questions or suggestions, it would be wise to answer honestly and heed the advice given.  Do not push the issue by repeating the same talking points or without modifying your request.  A sense of entitlement will almost always end with you being red-tagged and labeled a scammer.

• Investment Proposals:

Requests for investment in a project are highly unlikely to be accepted.  Unless the requester is an established member who would otherwise qualify for an unsecured loan, requests for a project based on a business plan or a high yield investment proposal are often seen as a scam attempt by the community.  Even established members who offer proposals that sound too good to be true will be seen as attempting to scam so, imagine what it looks like when a newbie tries it.
.
Lenders:

If you plan to offer a lending service, you must assume many risks, not the least of which is giving the community the wrong impression about your motives.  You will increase your chances of success if you follow these simple suggestions:

• Do your own research:

The Trust System can be very helpful in evaluating the borrower's potential to pay back the loan, however you shouldn't rely on only the one source for information.  Risks can be mitigated by issuing only secured loans, but you may find opportunities in that market segment are limited.  If you issue unsecured loans you alone are responsible for evaluating your client, and assume the risks.  Make sure to consider all the information publicly available to evaluate those risks, and beware of borrowers who've over-extended themselves with multiple loans.  Also beware of aged accounts suddenly asking for a loan if it seems out of character.  Another trend to look out for is borrowers who are asking for short-term loans just to develop their trust rating.  Often they are budling up to take bigger and bigger loans, with the possible goal of defaulting on a large loan.

• Signed messages:

If you are new member offering a lending service or an established member new to the market, it's recommended that you sign a message using an address containing some funds.  This can demonstrate to the community that you are serious, and have the capitol to fill accepted requests.  It's also advisable to ask borrowers to sign a message using an address that was staked or previously posted on the forum.  This will help ensure that you are dealing with the same person responsible for the account's reputation.  I'm of the opinion that requesting signed messages should be standard practice, especially for unsecured loans.

• Be willing to use escrow:

If you are new member offering secured loans, you may not have the reputation to earn the borrower's confidence that you will return the collateral.  Using a trusted, reliable third party as an escrow agent will help everyone feel safe.  Bitcoin technology such as multi-sig wallets can also be helpful in this regard.  Showing that you are willing to use escrow will demonstrate to the community that you are not attempting to scam someone out of their collateral.

• Transparency:

Transparency and communication will help the lender maintain a professional and respectable reputation.  Once a loan has been issued, use the Trust System to communicate that the borrower has an active loan with you.  It's just common curtesy.  Publicly posting the addresses and transaction IDs involved is not mandatory, but can be helpful in resolving issues, or to prove that one party breached the initial agreement.

• Privacy:

Generally speaking, transparency provides safety for the lender, however it's important to respect your clients' privacy, even from yourself.  Do not ask your clients to disclose personal information about themselves, such as identification documents, for example.  Not only is this an unreliable way to ensure the borrower's identity, it's likely to be seen as attempted identity theft.
.
Collateral:

The question of what constitutes valid collateral often comes up, and is often met with some debate.  Only the lender can decide what collateral suites his risk profile, however the following guidelines can help borrowers assess the likelihood of their secured loan request being accepted.

• Fungible Digital Assets:

The most likely asset to be accepted as collateral by the majority of lenders is a cryptocurrency other than the one you want to borrow.  The currency, coin, or token must have sufficient trade volume, and be traded on reputable and accessibly exchanges.  For example, a borrower who is bullish on BTC but needs some USDT to pay for a service may request a USDT loan with BTC posted as collateral.  Often the lender holds the collateral in an address he controls, but the lender and borrower may agree to have the collateral held by an impartial third party or escrow agent.

• Non-Fungible Digital Assets:

Non fungible assets are rarely accepted as collateral, and depending on the request can often be seen as an attempted scam or deceptive sale of the asset.  Despite some debates regarding the validity of digital assets and collectables (such as NFTs, domain names, or websites) as collateral, it's worth noting that they are frequently offered but rarely accepted.  Again, the lender needs to evaluate the legitimacy of the asset's proclaimed value, and the risk inherent in such offers.  Some escrow agents can help with non-fungible assets, in the event an offer is accepted.

• Physical Goods:

Physical goods can be deemed valid collateral by some lenders, but often the logistics of transporting the items to and from the lender or escrow agent can be time-consuming and cost-prohibitive.  Borrowers who are within a close geographic area to the lender or a trusted escrow agent may have an easier time having their offer accepted.  Lenders will not accept photos or video evidence of the existence of the asset in leu of having the collateral physically in their possession.  If it's not in the lender's or escrow agent's hands, it's not collateral.  Borrowers who offer only proof of the existence of the asset, and are unwilling to relinquish possession are often seen as attempting to scam.

• What is not collateral:
  
  • Identification documents are not collateral.  IDs can be faked or forged, and do not guarantee the identity of the borrower.  Nor do they guarantee recourse in the event of a defaulted loan.  Even if the documents are authentic, law enforcement agencies could take years to make any progress on a reported case.
  • Fiat sent through PayPal or other reversable payment methods should never be offered or accepted as collateral.  The borrower could charge-back the collateral as soon as the lender sends the loan, leaving the lender empty handed and at a loss.
  • Social media accounts and service provider accounts (such as exchange or casino accounts) are not collateral.  Any account that can be recovered by social engineering is a high risk for the lender to accept as collateral.
  • Bitcoin Forum accounts should not be offered or accepted as collateral.  If a lender attempts to sell a Bitcoin Forum account in the event of a loan default, he risks being red-tagged as an account seller.  Selling and buying of Bitcoin Forum accounts is frowned upon by many members of the community.
  • Items the borrower has listed for sale.  If the borrower is looking to sell the item he's offering as collateral, odds are he's not going to return the loan and is trying to trick the lender into unwittingly buying the item.
  • Virtual credit cards, gift cards, access codes, game codes, VPS codes, or any similar type of item that holds digital value should be avoided.  These can easily be retrieved by the borrower through social engineering, or drained of their value immediately after the loan is issued.

Summary:

Historically the lending board has been an unkind place for members with fanciful borrowing requests.  It has been less kind to lenders with unclear or clearly malicious motives.  The nature of the lending board will always attract lazy scammers with feeble attempts that lack creativity.  If you are a legitimate borrower or lender, you'll want to make every effort to avoid the appearance that you are one of these lazy scammers, or you risk being tagged and labeled as if you are one.[/list]

[Install Electrum]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I prefer to install Electrum on my Linux machines using the python package tarball.  I recently installed Debian 12 Bookworm on one of my laptops, but was surprised to find an error when attempting to install Electrum.  More info on the error and resolution can be found in the issue I submitted on Github.

It appears that Debian isn't the only OS with changes that broke the python installation instructions found on Electrum's website.  Another, earlier issue was reported in regards to Ubuntu 23.

Below are the instructions on how to install the Python version of Electrum on newer Linux distros with kernel versions of 6.0 and above.  If you installed the new version of Linux on a freshly formatted hard drive you can proceed with the installation instructions.  If you upgraded from a previous version of Linux you'll want to uninstall Electrum first.  Make sure to backup your wallet files.

To uninstall previous versions of Electrum (make sure to backup your wallet files first):

Code:

sudo apt remove electrum

Install Electrum

If you have previously used this method to install Electrum and you want to upgrade to a newer version, only steps 4 through 6 are required, and optionally, step 9 to clean up.  Make sure to substitute the file names for the desired package.

1. Perform an update.

Code:

sudo apt update

2. Install the required dependencies:

Code:

sudo apt install -y libsecp256k1-dev python3.11-venv python3-pyqt5

3. Create the environment folder for Electrum:

Code:

sudo python3 -m venv --system-site-packages /opt/electrum

4. From the user home directory (not important, but cleaner) download the required package and signature files:

Code:

wget https://download.electrum.org/4.5.8/Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz https://download.electrum.org/4.5.8/Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz.asc

5. Verify the package (more info here):

Code:

gpg --verify Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz.asc

6. From the same directory where you downloaded the tarball you can now install Electrum with this command:

Code:

sudo /opt/electrum/bin/pip install Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz

7. A symlink to the binary is needed for the app drawer launcher and to simplify CLI commands:

Code:

sudo ln -s /opt/electrum/bin/electrum /usr/bin/electrum

8. Create the app drawer launcher file, "electrum.desktop," and update it's link to the icon image location:

Code:

sudo desktop-file-install /opt/electrum/share/applications/electrum.desktop
sudo sed -i -e 's+Icon=electrum+Icon=/opt/electrum/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/electrum.png+' /usr/share/applications/electrum.desktop

9. Clean up by removing unneeded files:

Code:

rm Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz Electrum-4.5.8.tar.gz.asc

And that's it.  You should find the Electrum icon in your app drawer or applications list, and it should start Electrum without any issues.  You should also be able to interact with Electrum using the CLI commands.


**Note: If you have previously used this method to install Electrum and you want to upgrade to a newer version, only steps 4 through 6 are required, and optionally, step 9 to clean up.  Make sure to substitute the file names for the desired package.

The Electrum development team released a minor upgrade a couple of days ago.  It looks like it's mostly fixing some issues with the Android GUI as it relates to creating multi-sig wallets.

Don't forget to verify the download!

# Release 4.4.4 (May 31, 2023)
 * QML GUI:
   - fix creating multisig wallets involving BIP39 seeds (#8432)
   - fix "cannot scroll to open a lightning channel" (#8446)
   - wizard: "confirm seed" screen to normalize whitespaces (#8442)
   - fix assert on address details screen (#8420)
 * Qt GUI:
   - better handle some expected errors in SwapDialog (#8430)
 * libsecp256k1: bump bundled version to 0.3.2 (10574bb1)

I don't know how keen theymos would be to implement this suggestion, but it would be nice if newbies weren't allowed to post in the lending board.  Recently there's been a rash of trolling and spam in the lending board all because (at least one) newbies are refusing to accept reasonable advice or take "no" for an answer.  I'm of the opinion that it's all due to one troll with multiple alts, but that's irrelevant.

If someone registers an account just to request a no-collateral loan then he's not contributing to the forum, he's detracting from it.  If he has collateral, then he can afford to buy a copper membership and post a request for a collateralized loan, or send a specific lender a PM requesting a collateralized loan.  Or, god forbid, he can create an account to actually read, ask questions, learn, and contribute, which may cause him to earn a merit or two.  Then ask for a loan if needed.  

Not to mention all the ponzi scammers posing as "businesses" asking for stupid sums, promising stupider returns.

No lenders are giving out loans to these accounts, and I'm guessing most wouldn't miss them from spamming their threads.

Benefits:

• Less trolling and spam in the lending board
• Fewer repetitive posts
• No impact on legitimate lending operations
• Possible reduction in scams
• Instant reduction in feeble scam attempts